I stayed in Xocotla for a week in May, just at the beginning of "off-season." I booked a few months in advance with David who was excellent to work with, answered questions fully and thoughtfully, and encouraged contact. As our arrival to Sayulita approached, David gave us very specific directions on how to reach the house and (as he and Michael weren't going to be there that week) arranged for the house manager, Laura, to meet us on our arrival.

From the Puerto Vallarta airport we took the Compostela bus to Sayulita. Fight your way through the timeshare sellers/taxi drivers at the airport, cross over the pedestrian bridge, and look for the big white and green bus that says "Sayulita" in chalk pen on the front window. It's 25 pesos per person (about $2.50) and drops you right in Sayulita. Very easy, and a good taste of Mexico. We followed David's walking instructions and easily found the house. Laura was friendly and welcoming, gave us our keys, and let us immediately begin our vacation.

Xocotla is on a surprisingly big lot on Gringo Hill overlooking Sayulita and the ocean. The first thing I noticed (and was thankful for the rest of the week!) was that the temperature in Xocotla's beautifully leafy property is at least 10 degrees cooler than anywhere else. It feels like a breath of fresh air. Four individual suites make up the well designed and decorated building. We stayed in Xochitlan. It was perfect for a couple, with a well equipped kitchen on a private deck and plenty of windows to let in the breeze. At David and Michael's recommendation, we kept all our valuables locked up in the in-room safe, though we never once felt the least bit unsafe in Xocotla...or in Sayulita at all.

David and Michael have taken great care to make the suites feel inviting and useful. Our suite had all the amenities we hoped for - good sized bathroom, kitchen, comfortable beds - and some we were just downright thankful for: a beach umbrella, two big beach bags, beach towels, a truly amazing restaurant guide (written by David and Michael, and spot on in our experience), and a guide to the best grocery stores, fruit stands, etc. There is not a staff on-site (if David and Michael aren't there) but the groundskeeper was there everyday for maintenance on the pool, etc and Martina came frequently to clean the rooms (and she did an excellent job). David was available via email for any questions (and he responds quickly) and we also had Laura's cell phone (though we didn't need it, everything ran great during our stay).

Sayulita itself was exactly what we hoped for: a little gritty, a lot authentic Mexico, and full of adventure. We spent most of our time either eating (and the food was incredible), surfing, exploring the town, or sitting on the beach. We aren't huge on the night life, so were happy that we chose to go in off-season. As I understand from the locals "high-season" can be hectic, loud, and more a party-scene. For us we picked the perfect time - quiet, but close enough to high season that everything was still open. The beach wasn't crowded and everyone was friendly and relaxed.

Our entire trip was amazing, and we have Xocotla to thank for a large part of that. It is a little haven in an already stunning location.

My husband and I had the pleasure of "exploring" David and Micheal's paradise, as my parents were (and still are) there....We were with my parents upon their arrival, and we were all treated like family immediately. (I might add that both owners were most gracious and kind as my parents had to cancel last year at the last minute for medical concerns, and they got every penny back before their unit was re-rented!)
The surroundings are relaxing, and they have thought of eveything. It felt (and was) completely safe, and I cannot think of a single negative. I know my parents are having a blast, and I feel privledged to have met David and Michael. Next visit, we will be staying THERE! Thank you both for your attention to detail, and your compassion-we need more of that in the world.

Beautiful place, heated pool (pretty important in January), excellent location and great hosts. It would be hard to do better than this.

We found Xocotla on SayulitaLife.com, and right from the beginning it felt right. When we contacted the owners David and Michael, they answered all of our questions and were very courteous. We were going during low season and as we were the only guests that were going to be there they gave us a very good rate. 10 days before our trip Sayulita experienced heavy flooding and some bridges were washed out and the beach was radically altered. They called us right away to ensure that we knew the conditions in Sayulita and to ensure that we still wanted to go despite the flooding. We went anyways and it was well worth it! We got in to town a bit late because of detours, yet their property manager was still there to meet us. She was very understanding of our delay and was very welcoming. The whole house is set on an amazing, secluded, jungle property in the middle of town, with a little stream winding it's way through the serene gardens. The building is done in classic Mexican style with vibrant colours. There was room for our rental Jeep to park behind a locked gate, but anything larger probably wouldn't fit. There is a beautiful 2 level pool with a waterfall between them that we loved to spend time in. As we were alone it felt like our own little corner of paradise. Our room had a small kitchen with all the amenities on the balcony outside. There was an ocean view from the kitchen, and the bedroom. The apartment itself was a comfortable studio that is a perfect size for a couple or a small family. There is a safe in the room that we used all the time and lots of closet space. The washroom had a large tile shower with a tile seat and a pebble floor. The whole interior design was very warm and inviting and we loved to spend time with all the windows open, relaxing on the bed and reading. We liked the fact that we were so close to the plaza in the village, just a 5 minute walk down the hill and a 10 minute walk from the beach. I would definitely recommend Xocotla for anyone wishing to have a relaxing, soul satisfying holiday in Sayulita. We will be back for sure! I do recommend bringing ear plugs as the roosters tend to wake up a lot earlier than we did.